


Interludes

by oathkeeping



Category: Dragon Age II
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-07-31
Updated: 2015-06-17
Packaged: 2018-02-11 05:09:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 1,979
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2054847
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oathkeeping/pseuds/oathkeeping
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of drabbles and ficlets that focus on Aveline/Donnic.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. aftermath

**Author's Note:**

> Mostly things I've written on tumblr, all will be Aveline/Donnic centric, or gen but include both characters. Ranging from au to canon. I can't help it, I really love these two together.

The city is quiet, for the first time in three days. Kirkwall is never quiet, but now that clean up has gotten underway, the dead have begun to be accounted for, shelters for those who’s homes were destroyed have been put up, things are beginning to settle. The Gallows have been cordoned off, by both Aveline and Cullen’s orders - the two of them are the only leaders left alive.

The remaining Templars working alongside the Guard for the first time in who knows how long. 

Hawke and the apostate in question are gone, and Aveline feels her chest tighten and throat burn as she remembers seeing the boat carrying them disappear over the harbour, no word of goodbye from the woman she’d considered a sister, no thank you, just silence and the turn of her head. Her eyes burn daggers at her and Anders’ back as they disappear from her sight for what she knows is the final time

_I trusted you both, I never saw what was happening. None of us did. Did we mean so little to you?_

Not that she regrets the side she took but it’s hard not to resent it, to feel hurt by it all, Aveline is so very tired. Three days of hard work and she feels both dead on her feet and emotionally drained, and she can’t quite bury the sobs, or quell her tears once in the safety of home, and when Donnic puts his arms around her she clings to him like a lifeline. He’d taken a bad hit in the fight against Merideth and her heart had nearly stopped, but he’d gotten back up on his and fought by her side, his sword, her shield. 

It didn’t erase the moment of fear, when she thought she was about to lose all she held dear again, helpless to stop it (she already knows what it’s like to walk away from the side of a loved one, to turn her back on an old life and start all over, but to do it all over again, she’s not sure she has that strength). 

Tomorrow is another day, more arrangements and clean ups to organize. Families to notify and bodies to uncover. She just wants to sleep a week, but she’s the captain, that’s not a luxury she can afford. Wordlessly, they undress and climb into bed, and after a few moments, a few gentle presses of lips they’re both asleep. 

Tomorrow is another day.


	2. dressing for the occasion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Written for a tumblr prompt "I'm not wearing that!" /pairing of my choice.

Aveline stands against the dresser, arms crossed over her chest, mouth set in a firm line and Donnic knows the battle has been lost before it’s begun. He looks from his wife - to the ridiculous dress he’s holding, picked out by Marian for the event.

It’s frilly. Aveline hadn’t worn anything frilly on her own wedding - her gown had been simple yet elegant, and the bridesmaid dress had been very nice and sophisticated, in Donnic’s opinion. “I’m not wearing it. If Hawke likes it so much, she can wear it. Save me the trouble.”

It isn’t like Aveline doesn’t like to occasionally dress up, but her taste is clearly very different than her friend’s. Maybe Hawke wanted to make sure nobody outshined her on her wedding. In which case, she might have her wish. 

But Aveline can walk in, covered from head to toe in blood, and in her armor and still be beautiful. Donnic knows that for a fact. He tries again. “Love, please.”

The guardsman nearly flinches as she sets her sights on him. “If you like it so much, you wear it.” But he holds it up, and frowns lightly. “I dunno. Not sure if I have the hips for it, to be honest…” it’s worked, there’s the slightest upturned twitch of her mouth. And it's enough -- he puts it back down on the bed, frills and lace, as Aveline crosses the room to mutter quietly. 

“Just think of how it will look so much better, on the floor, with you out of it, after the ceremony.” Aveline laughs, as she leans in for a kiss. For a few minutes, they forget about shiny material and frills, and are lucky that they make the service in time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can leave me prompts here or send them to thebatteringram @ tumblr!


	3. friendship

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fenris and Donnic have a discussion. Written as a response to a prompt on tumblr asking for Donnic and Fenris. This was originally going to be three sections with a scene post endgame but I only ever finished two and... I like it as is. Maybe someday.

“So…”

“So….?” The elf raised his eyes to meet his, eyebrow quirked as he looked over at the man while the two of them walked. He’d seen this figure with Aveline on a few occasions, she’d mentioned Fenris on more than one occasion but Donnic got the impression she wanted to keep the separate aspects of her life that. Separate. She would regale him with tales but usually when they coincided with her job as the Captain, which was more often than she liked, he got the impression. Now a month after the Qunari attack, here he is…

He’d never thought to find himself walking home from the Hanged Man with one of them, let alone Fenris. “Aveline has told me about you.”

“Not good things, I presume?” There is something of a hint of amusement in Fenris’ voice, as if he’s telling some secret joke. Something between him, Aveline and the others that has Donnic feeling somewhat confused and out of his element here and now.

“Actually, no. She seems to think highly of you.”

“Does she now? She is a good woman, Aveline. I admire her and what she has done for the city.”

The former captain’s reign has ended long ago, and these days it is almost as if she has always been in charge. Her men are loyal, and hardworking. There was not a man or woman in the barracks who wouldn’t follow every order given to them from their captain. The only reminder of Jevan was the scars Donnic still bore from the ambush that would have ended his career – and life, had Aveline not intervened as she had.

To that, Donnic nods. “As Captain, she is… devoted, and efficient. Casualties among the guard are at an all time low, Qunari uprising aside.”

“She’s a good friend. Better than sometimes I think I deserve.”

A thought strikes Donnic, mid step something that was just now coming to him as he was still slightly befuddled from the alcohol. “Is this some sort of test?” He stops walking, eyebrow raised as the elf shrugs slightly. Aveline had mentioned how infuriatingly closed off her friends could be and in the darkness his companion in the walk gives nothing away. He huffs a breath and is awarded with a sound that could be a chuckle. “Were would you have gotten that idea, I wonder.”

Donnic has to shake his head. “Aveline is more than capable of taking care of herself, you know. As well meaning as your intentions may be, they are unnecessary.”

Something flickers in Fenris’ expression, and he nods. He’s not annoyed, even if he wants to be as he and Aveline are obviously close friends. But he’d be a fool to get on the wrong side of her and he knows it.

More importantly, he doesn’t want to be on her bad side and not just because of her varied friends most of which who could chase him out of town. The woman is… something else, in the best way possible. Finally Fenris nods, expression giving nothing away as he continues walking. “Good. Then you have nothing to worry about.”

\--

It’s a week before the wedding. There’s a lull in things, a sort of quiet before the storm quality that the city has taken on as it seemingly waits for it’s next disaster on the horizon. A year had passed since that walk through Lowtown. Strangely enough, Fenris found he enjoyed the guard’s company on his own merit, and not simply because he was one of his best friend’s fiance. He was easy to get along with, and talk to. Donnic also had one of the worst poker faces of anyone he’d played with, and he’s played against the abomination. But he’s slightly better than Anders, which makes it somewhat of a challenge.

But not that much.

“Does Aveline know how much coin you’ve lost to me?” Fenris can’t help the jibe as the guard tosses his cards down and his good natured expression becomes a scowl. “… maybe.”

Fenris chuckles as he takes his winnings. “Are you nervous?” Aveline was, despite how she hid it, and hid it well. He can hardly fault her, it was a difficult step she was taking and it meant much that she was willing to do so again after what she had went through. She and Donnic were well matched, though. He could see that much.

“About telling her? Absolutely. She could probably out play me too, but that’s after she reams me for it.” He grins, and Fenris knows he did that on purpose. It is also an answer to his question.

Fenris laughs. “Shall I deal again, or have you had enough, guardsman?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Send me prompts that you'd like me to write her, or send me an ask on tumblr @ thebatteringram


	4. two roads

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aveline has found home again.

The Wounded Coast is hardly the place for a picnic. Tal Vashoth, slavers, blood mages, and whatever else likes to lurk along the sandy paths. It’s the reason that despite her lack of armor, Aveline brings her weapons - as does Donnic. He also packs a light lunch and a bottle of wine, after bemoaning that there are no good places in Kirkwall for picnics. It’s true, there are few. There are a few caves that contain less spiders than the others, the vicount’s garden - off limits, even if the man was long since gone it didn’t feel right to sneak down there. The coast it is.

It’s good to get out of the city - even if the beached white sands are forever burned into the back of Aveline’s eyelids - it’s even better to get out for a moment not related to being dragged on some ridiculous chase with Hawke. As much good as her friend does for people, it’s tiresome in ways that being Captain of the Guard isn’t. This isn’t a patrol, either and this time Hawke, Fenris, Sebastian and Merrill are not hiding behind rocks and killing slavers and bandits.

A memory to this day that still brings heat to both of their faces. Even more so that if they took the second path down to the right, they would come across the exact same place Aveline had babbled about swords while Donnic dozed off. Further down she’d considered running back to Ferelden and never looking back. Isabela had teased her down that same path two days later, and Aveline threatened to put her sword where the sun doesn’t shine in return.

Instead, they’re going to the left, towards the beach. The route is quiet on it’s own merit and this time the silence between Aveline and Donnic isn’t stilted and awkward, but companionable and one of two people who don’t need to fill every moment together with chatter and not for lack of things to say. Donnic slips a hand into her own and she gives it a squeeze as she looks out over the water. It’s red, reflecting the setting sun beyond and Aveline wonders when she found her home again. In the dingy city with danger lurking in every corner and shadow and in a man who has the warmest brown eyes, and brings her flowers (marigolds, among them) to plant in front of their small quarters. They were just starting to bloom, bright shades of gold and copper and red. And of course, in people that she had over time learned to more than tolerate but accept and love - even the damned pirate.

It doesn’t really matter when it happened, she knows. It doesn’t matter because she has found it and that’s what really matters. The many paths long and hard she’s taken to get here are not forgotten, they will never be forgotten - but they are where they should be at last.

Behind her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave me a prompt! Here, or on tumblr @ thebatteringram


End file.
